


What does it mean to be a demon, anyway?

by grey_viper



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Amaimon POV, Amaimon and Shiemi are platonic, Amaimon is curious and not evil, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bon Pov, Character Development, Demon Rin, Demons Aren't All Bad, Eventual Smut, Hamster Amaimon (Ao no Exorcist), M/M, Rin accepting himself, Slow Burn, endgame BonRin, like Rin with both ships, rin pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:41:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29933577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grey_viper/pseuds/grey_viper
Summary: Rin has struggled with being accepted by others, especially himself. Maybe Amaimon can help him with that by showing him that being a demon is better than all the humans think.Meanwhile, Ryuuji struggles to get over his feelings for Rin and starts to think that maybe being a demon doesn't mean the powerful boy is evil.Everyone challenges what they've been taught and grows as a person along the way. And maybe some people kiss or something.
Relationships: Amaimon/Moriyama Shiemi, Amaimon/Okumura Rin, Moriyama Shiemi/Okumura Yukio, Okumura Rin/Suguro "Bon" Ryuuji
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	What does it mean to be a demon, anyway?

A voice was cutting through Rin’s dream.

  
“...didn’t think….fun than I...with me later…”

  
Rin was less than half conscious; he had just enough presence of mind to roll away from the strange voice that faded in and out of his comprehension. Or, he tried to roll, but something was holding down his torso. Probably not a problem, right? He could just...keep sleeping…

  
Suddenly Rin felt a sharp pain in his face, like a needle was poking into his cheek. His eyes shot open and, before he could move away from the needle, he yelped—all he could see was two huge, golden eyes.

  
“Ah, finally,” said Amaimon as Rin started squirming underneath him.

  
“What the hell are you doing in my room!?” Rin looked down and realized that Amaimon sitting on his torso had been what kept him from rolling over in his sleep.  
“I wanted to talk,” Amaimon said plainly, “but you were ignoring me. I don’t like being ignored.”

  
“I was sleeping, idiot,” Rin said as he eyed the green demon warily. Last time they saw each other, they had fought, and both of them were badly wounded. Rin healed quickly, of course, but he could still feel the pain, and he didn’t want to go through that again.

  
“You should have woken up. Can we play, Rin?”

  
“No,” he grumbled, attempting in vain to pry Amaimon off of him. The demon pouted in return, showing no sign of strain on his deceptively thin body.

  
“But Aniue is ignoring me again...I have nothing to do. Besides, you’re turning out to be more fun than I thought you would be, little brother.”

  
“Glad to see I’m useful as your toy,” Rin said sarcastically.

  
“You’re not just a toy, you’re a playmate,” Amaimon offered, seeming completely serious.

  
“You know,” Rin replied, giving up entirely on trying to break free, “I’m not going to have fun with that. Fighting you, I mean. It sucks.”

  
“What? How?”

  
“I’d rather cook. Or play an _actual_ game.”

  
“But it _is_ a game. It’s fun! We can compare powers and not worry about holding back from each other!”

  
“That’s what animals do. If you want to show your power or whatever you can just play sports. Have you ever even tried something like that? Martial arts, or playing basketball, or something?”

  
“That doesn’t sound fun at all.” Rin rolled his eyes, but Amaimon pressed on. “It’s the human piece of you talking. You’ve been brainwashed, Rin.”

  
“I haven’t been brainwashed! I just know what’s _actually_ fun in life!”

  
“You were raised in a religious building, by exorcist humans. You were kept away from your true identity, your rightful power. Our _home_.” Amaimon’s face darkened and he leaned in before continuing in a low voice, ignoring Rin’s slight jab. “Humans can say what they want about us. They are tiny and weak and boring. The truly sickening thing is seeing royalty of Gehenna mewling around Assiah, consorting with humans like they’re his equals, being scared of his own righteous power.”

  
Shocked, Rin lay with his mouth slightly open. He didn’t know how to respond. For starters, he had never seen Amaimon speak so much at once before. Also, he was offended, even angry. He wanted to defend humanity—“I’m part human, too, you know,” he wanted to say—but he was also surprised. Did Amaimon...care about him? About his identity? Was he looking out for a fellow demon? No, that couldn’t be. He was messing around. Doing what demons do. At most, he just wanted Rin to be on his side somehow; this was probably all part of his plot to “play”.

  
Amaimon leaned back to his original position, his face falling flat again but for his abnormally wide eyes. “Fine. We won’t play right now. But I’ll be back.”

  
With that the demon released his iron grip keeping Rin bound to the bed. In two hops, he was out the window, leaving Rin alone again.

  
“Stupid demon,” he grumbled to himself, finally getting up from his bed and straightening the wrinkles from his shirt as he walked to the window. Amaimon was already nowhere to be seen.

  
Rin used the restroom and went downstairs without getting dressed; he wanted to just cook and eat some breakfast. Forget about what had happened. Really, he was almost more frustrated with himself for being unsure of what to think about the situation than he was with Amaimon for starting the whole thing—almost. People didn’t usually call him royal or powerful, and it pleased him, even if it was coming from the mouth of someone he hated.

  
When he got downstairs, Yukio was dressed and sitting at his usual spot, eating a rice omelette prepared by Ukobach.

  
“You’re up early,” Yukio said, raising one eyebrow in an unspoken question.

  
“Yeah,” Rin replied. He went into the kitchen, saying hi to Ukobach, who poked his head out from under a shelf. There was no need to tell Yukio about Amaimon showing up. He would just freak out, and nothing had even happened.

  
“You smell like King Amaimon,” Ukobach said.

  
Rin grunted noncommittally. He hadn’t expected the small familiar to notice anything, but he wasn’t surprised, either. Ukobach jumped up on the counter to watch Rin cook, as he sometimes did, but didn’t press any further. Yukio, however, was not so kind.

  
“Well? Why are you up? Are you going somewhere I should know about?”

  
“It just happened, Yukio, I don’t know. I think it’s because I was hungry. Do you want me to make you some more food while I’m in here? Missions take a lot out of you.”

  
“Did Mephisto summon you again?” Yukio countered, completely ignoring the question.

  
“Is it really so hard to believe that I just woke up early?”

  
“Yes.”

  
Rin sighed. He didn’t like lying to Yukio, at all. He already felt bad. But wouldn’t it become a big deal if he mentioned Amaimon? But if he kept up a lie, stupid four eyes would find out soon enough anyways….

  
“Fine,” Rin said after a few moments. “Amaimon woke me—“

  
“WHAT!?”

  
Rin heard a loud thud and a scrape and turned to see Yukio standing, hands flying to whip out his guns.

  
“Where is he now? Did that bastard try to fight you again? He knows Mephisto said he can’t come here—unless that purple haired bastard sent him himself!”  
“He’s long gone. We didn’t even fight. I just told him I didn’t want to so he got all sad and left.”

  
“What?” Yukio looked thoroughly confused, but he didn’t put away his guns.

  
“I dunno, he just said he was bored like always but he left.” Rin wasn’t going to mention all the other stuff about his demon heritage. He didn’t know what to think of it yet, or how he felt about it, but Yukio was one of the people who kept his true identity secret from him for so long, one of the people who hated demons and—though he tried to avoid thinking about it—one of the people who made him hate himself. Despite them being twins, Yukio was the last person Rin wanted to talk to about his heritage, next to maybe Bon or Konekomaru. Even Amaimon and Mephisto would be preferable since they actually knew about being demons, even if they didn’t seem to care about getting along with anyone from Assiah.

  
“Well,” Yukio said slowly, “that’s good. Weird, but good.” He put his guns away and sat back down. The confusion only took a moment to wear off, and then he remembered to be mad again. “That damn Mephisto—I bet it was him. Amaimon would never just give up, he’d punch you until you fought back. That’s what he did before, right? I need to talk to our headmaster, he really causes all the problems around here…”

  
Rin tuned out of whatever else Yukio said. Annoying though it was, Rin did enjoy hearing his normally quiet brother go on about something, even if it was a rant. When Yukio finished his food and left the room a few minutes after Rin sat down, he almost wanted Yukio to come back and keep talking. About anything, really. It would be better than being alone with thoughts of his inescapable identity, which he always tried to avoid.

  
Rin pushed his food around as he thought about what Amaimon had said. Why would he embrace his demon side? It was the thing that got people killed. Shiro. Konekomaru’s parents, Renzou’s brother, so many other people at their temple. Everyone else on the Blue Night, too, and who else? How many people had died because he was born? Why should he be happy about that?

  
“I haven’t been brainwashed,” he grumbled to himself. His stomach let out a loud whine and he shoveled food into his mouth as his hunger took over. _I haven’t been brainwashed. That’s stupid. Just because I don’t want to have some stupid fight and I’m not happy about having a connection to the most powerful evil being ever...I can realize it for myself. It’s a bad thing._

  
Rin put his dishes in the sink--Ukobach liked cleaning them--and went back upstairs to change and brush his teeth. He had a flame training session with Shura later that morning. If he arrived early, he could do some sword practice, too, in that batting cage. Normally he had just enough time to roll out of bed and shove his key into the closest door, but on days when he could, extra practice never hurt.

  
Yukio would be staying in the dorm all day. He always had lots of exorcist duties and special missions that had him running around, but just as often he would sit at his desk writing reports, grading papers, and making lesson plans. He had normal homework, too, but that was never really a problem for him. He probably learned everything five years ago for his exorcist tasks or something, and his teachers all loved him. Rin’s kid brother sure was grown up.

  
Rin smiled as he left the abandoned boys’ dorm; it was a beautiful day out. There was a cool breeze that carried the scent of flowers, the sun shone brightly, and it was pleasantly warm. It would feel much hotter later after he trained, but for now it was perfect. He would have to use one of Mephisto’s magic keys to actually get to the training rooms, since most places used by exorcists couldn’t be approached any other way he knew of, but he liked taking walks, too. It helped him to be alone sometimes. It gave him space to think. Ever since he was little, he always went to the park by the church and sat on the swings when he was upset so he could have some quiet time. After a while, he also liked the feeling of control. He was already alone all the time anyway, so at least for a bit it was because he went off on his own, right? Not just because everyone pushed him away because of his stupid demon heritage that he didn’t even ask for.

  
“Where are you going?”

  
Rin jumped at the sudden voice. He looked around, but didn’t see anyone. “Who’s there?”

  
“It’s me. Didn’t I say I’d be back? I’m over here.”

  
He followed the sound and looked up to see Amaimon hanging by his knees from a tree branch over Rin’s head. “What are you--why are you here?”

  
“I just told you,” Amaimon replied, sounding bored as he swirled a lollipop around in his mouth. “I said I’d be back. I’m back.”

  
“Well, that was--I thought you meant later. Like not the same day, or even--I mean, it’s still the same morning.” Rin stumbled over his words, not expecting company on a walk where he was supposed to be alone and not see anyone he knew, much less the same demon that had gotten him so flustered earlier.

  
“Where are you going? Can we play now?”

  
“No, I don’t want to play with you. Although,” he said thoughtfully, “maybe I could use you to help me train.”

  
Amaimon cocked his head in curiosity. “Train?”

  
“Yeah. Shura”--Amaimon shuddered slightly at the name, no doubt remembering how she had almost killed his Behemoth--”is supposed to train me today, but I was going to practice with my sword, too. Or, well, a different sword. A normal one. I’m not supposed to use this yet,” he said, gesturing to the sword in a red case on his back that he carried so constantly he didn’t even notice its presence anymore. “What better way to train than by fighting your actual enemy, right?”

  
Amaimon sucked on his pink lollipop thoughtfully. “So...we can play?”

  
“Maybe. If Shura says it’s okay. Otherwise she might just kill you.”

  
Amaimon scoffed, flipping down from the branch to land just a few inches in front of Rin. His breath was soft and warm and smelled like sweet fruit. “She can try. At least then I’d have a reason to fight her without Aniue punishing me again.”

  
Rin rolled his eyes, but turned and started walking towards the nearest door. Amaimon followed. He finished his lollipop and threw the stick aside, snapping his fingers to conjure another one, this time golden yellow, already unwrapped. They walked through the door into the training room. Shura was already there, practicing with the batting machine on its highest setting. Rin’s brain short circuited. _Why is she here so early?_

  
“Yo! Shura!” he called, lifting his hand in greeting. He wasn’t sure what exactly to say about Amaimon being there; he wasn’t one to think ahead in any case, and he thought she would stumble in as late as she was drunk, giving him ample time to think of some way to explain things.

  
In a heartbeat, so fast Rin’s eyes could barely track her, Shura was at his side, sword pressed to Amaimon’s throat. The demon stared at her blankly, making no move to fight or get away.

  
“What is he doing here,” she asked in a growl.

  
“He, um, well, I thought, that is, he--”

  
“Spit it out, kid!”

  
“Oh, I thought he could--train with us?”

  
Shura fixed him with a stony glare. “Are you insane?”

  
“What better way to train than with the enemy, right? I mean, he’s not fully an enemy, which is why we can train, but--”

  
“Not fully an enemy? He’s a _demon_ , Rin. A demon _king_ , no less. He’ll just look for an opening and kill you. No way am I letting him stay in here.”

  
Rin felt himself wilt internally at the biting way she called Amaimon a _demon_ , like it was a terrible insult. That’s what he was, too, right?

  
Next to him, Amaimon stiffened and growled, pushing forward slightly so Shura’s blade cut his skin enough to create a thin line of blood. “Watch your tongue, _human_." He said it in the same biting, insulting way. "If I wanted to kill my kin I would have used one of the many opportunities he has already given to me. He should become stronger, and I can help him.”

  
Shura’s eyes narrowed. She made no move to draw her sword away from Amaimon’s cut, but Rin could sense that she was relaxing into a concession of the point. He gave her his best pleading face--why did he even really care if she said yes, wasn’t Amaimon just a nuisance to him?--and she relaxed more.

  
“Plus,” he piped up, “Maybe he could help me with my flames!” Although it had only just occurred to him, he felt sure that was true. Demon kings should be able to help other demon kings, right?

  
“Probably not,” Amaimon deadpanned.

  
Silence, except for the sound of Shura’s batting machine churning out balls.

  
“It’s mostly instinct,” he said after a moment. “I could help you with certain things, but there’s no one formula, and nothing would happen in just one day. Besides, you haven’t exactly been the most promising, little brother. If you’re only powerful when you lose control, it’s not worth much, is it? It’s just a different kind of weakness.”

  
Rin bristled, but Shura stepped back, pulling her sword away and swiping the thin line of blood off of it.

  
“Fine,” she said. Turning around, she walked back to her batting cage, which was still pumping out balls. She walked with her sword at her side, but she held it firmly and ready to swing at a moment’s notice. She turned her batting machine off and turned back to face them. “I haven’t exactly been able to get him anywhere. He just does the same things over and over. The drills are practically useless, the kid’s so thick. But I’m not letting you out of my sight,” she said, pointing her sword at Amaimon with the last sentence.

  
The demon smiled widely, sharp teeth shattering his lollipop and snapping its stick. He turned to look at Rin. His normally impassive golden eyes were bright in a way Rin hadn’t seen before; they were shining with excitement.

  
“It’s time we make a demon out of you, Rin.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you're enjoying so far!


End file.
